Criminal
by KoverKat08
Summary: ON HIATUS FOR NOW. Bella Swan has a secret, a secret which she has managed to keep from everybody, until now. Even after trying to forget that fateful night, and removing all evidence of her misdeed, she can't keep hiding it. How can you keep hiding something which threatens to expose itself on it own?
1. Cafe Westline

Chapter 1- Cafe Westline

I took a sip of the hot chocolate which had now become cold, and unconsciously scratched my eyebrow with my index finger. ''Why do you even drink this?'', asked Angela, with a look of disgust on her face. ' I know I work here and everything but even I know that its really bad. And cold now.' I smiled and said, ''I don't know, I somehow cannot concentrate on journaling without the bitter taste of this in my mouth .It helps me... to pour out on everything.'' She rolled her eyes and said, 'Whatever. I am leaving in 15 minutes. Do you want me to make you a sandwich?''

Now that, was a good question. I knew that today might be the last chance for me to have my favorite garden sandwich. I might not even be here tomorrow...

'Yeah, that would be great. You don't have to do this, you know...''

'Oh please, Bella! I am here for ten minutes. I'll be back in a second...'' and drifted off to the kitchen.

Sure enough, my sandwich was here in a few seconds, or so it seemed to me. Because I was busy staring out of the window at the busy scene outside- the vintage market, the street-singer with his guitar, the shop with fresh, luscious vegetables... I would definitely miss all of this so much. I looked away before nostalgia took me back to the place which i had been trying to avoid so much. 'There you go.' I took her fist, put the money in it, and closed it. ''There you go too! Enjoy the rest of your day.'' I couldn't help be half-hearted, even with a cheerful person like Angela.

''Oh,Be-'' I interrupted her groan by putting a finger up, '' Ang, I can't afford to deny the basic rules of behavior. It's criminal.'' She broke into a smile and rolled her eyes. ''You definitely won't give the ''etiquette'' drama a rest. Fine! I'll take your damn money. And while you're at it, why not two more dollars for making me stay for fifteen minutes more?'' I laughed and said, '' Now, now, you're the one who said it wont be a problem. It's not like I pointed a gun at your face and threatened you to make me a sandwich or face your death! But still, if you ask for it...'' I handed her the money nevertheless. She smirked and snatched the money from my hand.

''Anyway, I'm leaving. Do me a favor and tell Mike to close the shop after you leave. He might as well forget.''

''Sure thing. Bye, Ang.''

''Bye.''

She hung her apron behind the kitchen door, gave me a final smile and left.

It was a bright, sunny afternoon sky was a brilliant light blue,and the clouds looked as if they were made up of cotton. The sun was shining so brightly that I had to squint to make out the colors and shapes. It seemed like all the shoppers of the market outside had also adapted their moods to the weather- everyone was laughing and smiling as if they knew nothing more.

I sighed as I realized that no one was sitting around and looking at everyone else and moping. Whatever, I thought, no one is going through what I am right now.

Maybe if I could make my mind concentrate on something more cheerful, engaging, I could combat the grief I felt at leaving the place I loved so much. Only then did I remember the actual reason as to why i was here.

I opened my bag and took out a thick, heavy diary. My old diary. I opened it to the first page and saw a name label in my own scrawny handwriting-

 **Isabella Swan**

 **St.Grinoid's Art Institute**

 **Year-2001**

My hands shook as I snapped it shut. This is all so wrong! All this... This was not supposed to be remembered. It was simply criminal to remind oneself about the most painful, and therefore forbidden period of one's life. But hard as it was to admit, my life would have taken a totally different turn if i hadn't done what I was something I never forgot, even if I didn't want to remember it.

Instead,I looked around at the place nowhere I was sitting. I seemed to be at a lose of words as I realized that this might be the last time I'd ever see this place. This table, this chair... they were like a part of my soul. A horcrux, if I intended to speak in Harry Potter language.

I had to do this. This was the last time. I won't ever come back to Fellington ever again, let alone Cafe Westline or The Red Umbrella market. I took a deep breath as I opened the diary to the second page.


	2. Everything

**Chapter 2-Everything**

I entered the cafe and a gust of coffee-flavoured air greeted me. I scanned the cafe and crossed over to the corner table, and took out my diary.

Journaling had become a really integral and addictive habit for me. I journalled everyday, every single thing which somehow mattered to me, and the reason behind it's significance to me. It was now a habit, or a necessity, which I couldn't leave even if I wanted to.

I was soon lost and totally preoccupied in describing the poetic nature of the way I had started seeing the world, when I heard the door of the cafe open, and felt a cold wind reach me, even when I was sitting in the farthest corner of the restaurant. I shivered, involuntarily. I realized that the shiver was not actually due to the cold wind, but actually due to the person who brought it in along with him.

Only then, did I really remember the actual purpose for coming to this cafe. Though this place was my favourite place to come and spend time at, today was not just for whiling away time before I went back to my ramshackle, or my house. The real reason for coming here was to do something important, something only I could do.

I had a date with Jacob, my boyfriend of 4 months. Though I'd known him my entire life, we'd only started dating 4 months ago, and in between those four months, I'd not seem him for 6 weeks, which probably meant that he had suddenly become very impatient to see me, and accused me of avoiding him. Which wasn't really false. I had to avoid him, distance myself from him, so that losing him won't cause as much pain as losing-

"Bella! How are you doing? I've missed you so much!"

He crossed over the entire cafe in three strides. I got up to show some basic courtesy, but before I could fully stand up, he crushed me into a tight bear hug. He never resisted to show his enthusiasm at seeing me.

"Hello, Jake..." I managed to mutter against his chest. Soon I found myself unable to breathe.

" _Can't- breathe- Jake!"_ He immediately released me and grinned impishly. "Sorry. Just excited to see you after so many days. And speaking of unexplained disappearances, why were you avoiding me?"

I bit my lip. This question was something I knew he would ask. I had my answers prepared.

"I'm so sorry, I got so busy with museum stuff, they're importing some really important and expensive paintings from places all around the world, it was really stressful job... And I even misplaced one of them! The one which was supposed to be in the third floor went to the second floor, and..."

"Jeez, Bella, _Relax!_ I now understand where you got that grey hair on your head from...", He raised his hand as if to touch something on my head, and dropped it when he saw my expression. I tried to make it as livid as possible.

"Besides, I know museum stuff, I know that there are real threats while doing this kind of stuff... especially paintings". He looked away awkwardly, as if something had suddenly come to his mind. I froze. I had now gotten evidence, that the job Aro had given to me wasn't actually for nothing. He knew. About everything. Absolutely everything.

 **A/N**

 **Hi guys! I am so sorry for the late update. I just got a little demoralised when I found that I had not got a single review for the first chapter. But then I made up my mind, thinking that maybe the first chapter was a little too early to judge anything. But, just as a suggestion, reviews keep me alive and kicking, at least enough to write my story out here. I'm sorry for the length of this chapter; Its really short, but I wanted to give just a bit of the story to you. At least more than the first chapter.**

 **Anyway, since this chapter is so small, you can expect a third chapter soon.**

 **P.S- I hope you realize that the story from the second chapter onward is all a flashback.**


	3. Phone Call

**A/N- I hope you realize that everything you are reading starting from the second chapter onwards is what she is reading in the journal. Which means everything is a flashback.**

\--

Jacob immediately realized the mistake that he had made by saying that out aloud, and immediately changed the topic. He started saying something about his friends back at La Push, Quil and Embry. But my mind didn't get distracted, as I am sure he had planned. I tried to smile and nod and pretend like I didn't notice anything. I couldn't stop thinking about how true Aro's doubts were. How did Jacob know anything about the paintings? How did Aro know that Jacob knew something incriminating about the paintings? These were questions whose answers I was never going to get. Even if I asked, would either of them consider me trustworthy enough to tell me?

Just then, I heard the familiar ring of my phone. Jacob stopped talking and said, "I think you may want to take this call". I smiled and nodded and glanced at the caller ID, and froze. He was right; I couldn't refuse to take this call, unless I wanted to be dead within the next 24 hours. I muttered, "Just a minute...", and walked out of the door before answering. Jacob hearing anything of this conversation could lead to the entire plan to be destroyed.

Though the number had been saved in my phone as "Neighbor 2" and Jacob wouldn't exactly know who that might be, the conversation could tell him everything. Better safe than sorry.

"Hello, Aro."

"Bella. How are you today? Wonderful as always, I hope."

"Skip the pretense amd come to the point. What do you want?"

He laughed, a light, silvery sound and said, "You are just so fun to talk to when angry." He chuckled again. But then his voice took on a thick coating of seriousness before answering. "I wanted update on the mission I entrusted you with _. Is_ there any update?"

"Yes, there is. Jacob will be there at the place discussed and the exact time. The plans have been made." I added on the last line to make myself sound more convincing and business-like, if not anything else.

"Ah, Bella! You are such a comfort to me. Anyone of my men could have done the job. Grabbing him out is not a difficult job for me. I do it all the time. But then why would I give you this task? Because I trust you. And I know Jacob trusts you too; Enough to follow you to his death." I could literally hear him smile his evil, conspiratory smile. The malice in his voice gave him away.

Even though it took me a few seconds to decide whether it would be safe to answer without my voice breaking, I did answer. But breaking my voice did too. At least at the end of the sentence.

"And you're making me do such a thing to a person who won't even know what the person he _trusts-"_. My throat closed, blocking the rest of my accusation. His voice was still tinted with malice when he answered, "Ah, now... You know there's nothing personal in this. I'm doing for your sake... I can always give you the other option. Just that _now_ , it's a bit too late." I got what he was getting to within a matter of seconds. That was was what gave me the strength to say what I wanted to.

"I'll do it. _I_ will do it. You promised, Aro. Don't-"

"I don't break promises, Bella. And I couldn't be happier that it's not one of us who's having to do this. Okay now, I assume you have work to do. I request you to go back to whatever you were doing, while I do the same. Keep me updated." And then, abruptly, the line disconnected.

"You'll be updated, for sure." I muttered into the dead phone.

I stood there with the phone in my hand. Thank god there was a wall, for support, otherwise I would have collapsed to the ground.Or curled into a ball, right there, where anyone, possibly Jacob, could have walked in totally unsuspecting.

The thought of Jacob walking into me in that condition was exactly what gave me incentive to stand up ever again. I stood up, holding on to the wall for support. My legs felt wobbly, like they had transpired into jelly in a matter of minutes. I tried to pull myself together. I'd know this. I'd known this all along. I'd known what knowing Jacob would do. I'd known what agreeing to do this for Aro would get me into. And the best part is that I'd known that Jacob _would_ know about my secret. How that happened, I'll never know. But that doesn't change the fact that I'd known! All of this! And still, I could do nothing to change the fact that neither of us was going to have a happy ending. I would be rotting in hell, surely. I wasn't so sure about Jacob, though. He was just so innocent...

That could be pondered over later. Now I had to come up with an excuse to leave. Abruptly. _Immediately._ The kind of exit which would leave him hoping for another meeting. That's what I am aiming for. I had to look worried... As if any effort was required for _that._ I had to come up with an excuse that would make him let me leave without much ado. As I said, abruptly. I could think of one.

\--

I walked in again slowly, trying to put in all the worry I coukd into my expression.

"Look Jacob, I'm so sorry... I really don't like doing this but, I have to go home. There has been a call from Mom and I want to discuss some things with her. She's not well. I-"

"Jeez, Bella, it's _okay_! I understand. I know that you're concerned about your Mom and hate it when something like this happens. We can meet up again, when both of us are free. Okay with that?"

"Oh, Jacob! I feel so horrible ditching you so suddenly. I'll call you later, okay?

I started picking up my bag, and slung it over my shoulder, when I saw Jacob get up and going to sit at a table just along the window.

Maybe I imagined it, but I would swear by anything, that I saw a look on his face which was looking like he had expected that much of me, and that wouldn't be the first time.

\--

 **A/N-**

 **I am so sorry for the late update. I got a bit side-tracked with the homework and studies for the upcoming tests. I get very serious about studies. Geeky things, ya know?**

 **I check and proofread my stories before posting everytime, but something always slips. So if you find a grammatical or spelling error, please forgive me for it. After all, I am human. :)**

 **-K**


	4. The Dinner Date

**I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT.**

This is it. It is the evening. The evening. Hmmm. It even sounds so ominous. Maybe it should be called something else... Something like "The day when you did something about which if you had heard about 5 years ago, you would have slapped the daylights out of the person who told you about it".

How could I be joking at this point of time? Maybe it has something to do with crying. If there's a fact which states that crying for more than six hours in a day, constantly, makes you feel jittery and jokey, I wouldn't have given a second thought to it before agreeing to it full-heartedly. I had been in my bed clothes, bed, and deep emotion, the kind of emotion which makes saltwater flow like water running from a tap issuing from my eyes. They were not in a great state, either. They had red rims around them, and if they had not been so red, I would have been able to see the dark, bruise-like circles better. There were no tears left to cry for me. Any other person would have played that song and danced to it until their legs go numb, but I was feeling _that_ jokey.

Which brings us back to the evening. Yeah. The other nickname was more like a tongue twister than a name. And I was using it to refer to today in my mind, so no problems there. I hugged the moist pillow and put it on my face again. Not to spoil it with my tears, but to tune out the funny thoughts for a while. Ugh. It doesn't feel any better. I throw myself in my bed again. And groan loudly when I accidentally hit my head over the headboard. After cursing it a dozen times, I finally give up and get down from the bed. Time to get ready for the evening.

I went to the washroom first and looked at my relection in the mirror. I looked completelt dreadful. I scrubbed my face with the Aloe Vera herb facewash Renee had gifted me when I'd first moved here. Along with a whole bathroom kit consisting of the normal-yet-luxurious things I would think twice before buying. She did get a bit _too_ excited when I finally gave her a green light to buy me anything she wanted to. My mother is a total force of nature.

After pampering my face with a variety lf face-care products, I have to admit that I looked loads better. Post my 15-minute shower, I even _felt_ better. Fresher, at least. Finally, I turned to my wardrobe. I frowned after fingering through it once. I had absolutely _nothing_ that was suitable for today's situation. Finally, I settled for a black knee-length dress with a golden belt. It looked simple, yet elegant. Huh. How fitting. A black dress. _Black_ dress. Yeah, it completely fitted the situation today. It was a black-dress occasion, anyway. _Don't you dare deny it... You are getting ready for a dinner party which will end in a really romantic way,_ my mind had started it's bad-mouthing again. I told it to shut up and mind it's own buisness. _Fine._

\--

I was standing in front of the restaurant Jacob had told me to come to. I stared at it's name, written in fancy, golden, cursive letters. _La Luna Nueva._ So it was French. I hadn't realized Jacob liked French food. _Then again, there are plenty of things that have changed about him. Plenty of things you're yet to know about. Plenty of things you will never know about..._

I looked around. And saw a black van with two men sitting in the front seat. I was right behind the van, so the men looked into the mirror and nodded once at me. I didn't even acknowledge them. I stared at them coldly for a few more seconds, and marched right in.

\--

I strode into the restaurant and paused at the gate. I scanned the arena for Jacob and finally saw him sitting at the farthest table, staring at the menu, and looking really forlorn. His eyes were unfocused and glazed, as if he was lost in some deep thought. Then again, maybe he was. His hand was at his chin, as if he was supporting his head. He had dark circles around his eyes too, which were visible even against his russet brown skin. It looked as if it was made of dark, coloured butter, and I bet it would have been as smooth to touch too. Ah, how much I would miss this...

Suddenly, his head flashed up to look in my direction, and his eyes scanned me. They widened for a second, and a blinding smile spread through his face. I was struck with awe at how quickly his mood changed when he saw me. He raised his hand and waved, and then gestured toward his table. I smiled back as convincingly as possible, and he seemed to buy it. I walked to his table and sat in a chair directly across him.

"Hello, Jacob!"

"Hey, Bella. I see you made it. I thought you would never show up."

"That's really hurtful, you know. After all, it was _me_ who made plans for a dinner date. How could I not turn up?"

He dropped his sulky attitude and became more enthusiastic. "I know, Bella. I'm being a jerk, I get it. What would you like to have?"

I picked up the menu reluctantly. How could I want to have _anything_ right now? I was hardly hungry, but Jacob was waiting for an answer.I glanced at the menu and ordered the first thing my eyes rested on. "I'll have the mushroom ravioli," The waitress appeared in a beat and wrote my order in her writing pad. "And for you, sir?" She asked Jacob in a bored voice. "Same as her," he told her with a cheerful smile. Her lips curved into a impressed smile, as if she had noticed how good-looking he was for the first time. "I'll get it soon. Meanwhile, cold drink or water?"

Jacob looked at me, and I chose cold drink. She dashed off. That left me nothing to do, other than looking and talking to him. I started the conversation.

"So, Jacob, how's everything going? I mean, we haven't spoken properly in days. Anything new going on with your gang? I know for a fact that there's nothing interesting with my life," I smiled wryly at him.

He laughed and spoke with a new spark in his eyes, " You are going to like this... I've got interesting news, all right. Emily and Sam have finally had the baby!"

"Oh my god Jacob, that great! I'm so happy for them! So it's a boy or a girl?"

"It's a girl. They've named her Rose. Partly because she looked rose pink for a whole day! She has turned put to be one pretty thing. And has been delivered under some wierd circumstances too..." He launched into the story of how Emily had delivered the baby, while I gazed at his face, for what would be the last time. I gazed at his thick-set eyebrows, his brownish-black eyes, his full mouth and slightly longer-than-usual nose... And my eyes filled up with unshed tears. _It was be the last time I would be able to see him._ It was so, _so_ hard to grasp at that concept.

The waitress came with my food, and I was now supposed to _eat._ Right. Like I could eat under this kind of stress. Heh. _High on dark humor tiday,huh?_

 _Shut it._

 _Right, you should carry on._ Eat.

 _You are going to get it from me, I'm warning you._

 _High on feistiness too, huh?_

I ignored my inner voice and rolled the foil off my ravioli. I took a bite of a mushroom, and immediately began eating more hungrily. I realized two things after that first bite - firstly, I had not eaten anything the entire day, and I was _ravenous_ , and secondly, the dish was delicious. I kept looking up amd smiling at Jacob while he was narrating another one of the incidents which had occurred with one of his friends. I was really enjoying.

But then, I remembered the real job I had in hand. He had already finished his food somehow when I looked up at him before takimg the last few bites of my dish. That was good. I quickly finished up my dish and said, "Are we ready to leave?"

"Oh, yeah, if you are."

"Um, before leaving, I'd like to visit the restroom once. Just a minute..."

I quickly made my way to the restroom and locked the door. I, then,whipped out my mobile phone and fired away a text to the two men outside, waiting for my signal.

 _Target coming out in position in 10 mins, be ready._

I joined Jacob outside, and he was waiting for me. He offered me his hand, amd took it, eagerly, yet extremely reluctantly. He took me outside and we walked to my strategically-placed car, slowly, swinging our hands. It felt like a lifetime ago, that we, as teenagers,had walked by at the beach the same way. We were so free... No worries, no compulsions...

I turned towards him and looked him in the eye. "Thank you so much, for the dinner, Jacob. I really enjoyed our tine together."

He grinned and said, "My pleasure, Bella. I enjoyed it too."

I gulped, and took a step towards him. He looked hopeful, and had a glint in his eyes, as I wrapped myself around him. I didn't want this moment to end, but didn't want to continue it, either. If I didn't end it, I wouldn't be able to do the job had been given to be completed.I didn't want to continue it because I might end up crying in his arms. That would be a total giveaway.

I gently pulled away and found him leaning towards me. I reached up and kissed him with as much enthusiasm as I could muster up. I heard soft footsteps and saw the people. _This is it._

I hugged him once again and sopke against his neck, "I'm sorry, Jacob... I don't want to do this, but I have to. Forgive me if you ever can." Before he could respond in any way, the man with the huge hammer hit him on his head, _hard,_ from behind.

I could see him losing consciousness, and I once again leaned and breathed, "I'm sorry," against his ear. He slumped to the floor, and I became cold and numb throughout my body.

"Go," The other man commanded me, "Go. We'll take care of this from here. _Go."_

I walked away from the dark alley before I could see anything of how they were going to 'take care' of him. I willed my deadened legs to carry me further but they just seemed to drag uselessly. I couldn't breathe, I started feeling light-headed. I moved sideways so that I could lean on a wall. _It's over. Everything is over,_ I kept repeating in my mind. I felt myself sliding down the wall... I couldn't drag myself up anymore. The last thing I felt was the ground pressed against my cheek.

 _I am sorry, Jacob._ Was my last thought.

\--

 **A/N-**

 **Bella certainly isn't in the mood for dancing to "No tears left to cry", huh? So sorry** **for the late update. I got caught up in the thoughts of the base of another story. I know, I shouldn't have let my mind wander... But unfortunately,I have no control over it. Please review, I want to know what you think of my story! And don't forget to follow and share it with others!**

 **-K**


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